bloody

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   extremely, or very much

   You are bloody right!

2. 2
   adj

   having or covered with or accompanied by blood

   a bloody nose

3. 3
   verb

   to cover with blood

   They bloodied their hands.

4. 4
   adj

   Covered in blood.

   All that remained of his right hand after the accident was a bloody stump.

5. 5
   adj

   Characterised by bloodshed.

   There have been bloody battles between the two tribes.

6. 6
   adj

   Used as an intensifier.

   Traffic in central London was a bloody mess this morning.

7. 7
   adj

   Badly behaved; unpleasant; beastly.

   Come to apologize to Charles. I was bloody to him and he's my guest. He's my guest and my only friend and I was bloody to him.

8. 8
   adv

   Used to express anger, annoyance, or shock, or for emphasis.

   Walk! Not bloody likely. [Sensation]. I am going in a taxi. [She goes out].

Etymology

From Middle English blody, blodi, from Old English blōdiġ, blōdeġ (“bloody”), from Proto-West Germanic *blōdag, from Proto-Germanic *blōþagaz (“bloody”), equivalent to blood + -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian bläidich, blöidig, blouderch (“bloody”), West Frisian bloedich (“bloody”), Dutch bloedig (“bloody”), German Low German blödig (“bloody”), German blutig (“bloody”), Danish blodig (“bloody”), Swedish blodig (“bloody”), Faroese blóðigur (“bloody”), Icelandic blóðugur (“bloody”). See Wikipedia for thoughts on sense evolution.